the glee project
by Margarita Rosario
Summary: a new glee club is in town… and the New Directions have the heebies in their jeebies.
1. Prologue

**the glee project.**

**Summary: a new glee club is in town… and the New Directions have the heebies in their jeebies. Will the Warblers help?**

**POV: third person**

**Setting: Summer before Senior year. (This is sooo not High School Musical)**

**Author's Notes: I shall pleasure myself in the fanfiction dimension and write about all the things I love: the warblers and the glee project. Although most of the pairings here are the canon ones (e.g. Finchel, Chang-chang, Klaine), I can't live without crackships, so prepare yourselves for some Westana… and others. *wink***

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

Inside a choir room in rented building somewhere in Ohio, something was a fit. Clapping could be heard, the time interval between claps made a rhythmic pattern that was notably of quadruple meter. This was accompanied by what seemed to be various instruments, 'seemed' because the said sound was coming from a boom box. One's upper lip may twitch in disgust at how inadequate the equipment may be to allow musical development. Such sacrifices must be made to ensure things are kept top secret.

Well, seem top secret anyway.

There were 12 chairs, arranged in a line creating two rows, six chairs per row. On each chair, an individual was seated. From the second row, a girl stood up and flipped her hair. She sang her line, spunk oozing out. After another hair flip, her specialty it seemed, she sat back down. A boy from the front row did the next lyric, standing up as he sang his line. His voice was unexpected, considering he was male. The way he sang it, though, was a whole other thing completely (much like his scarf). When the boy finished, another individual stood up and sang the next line from the song.

And so this was the trend. Each person sang a lyric, showing as much personality and as much talent as one possibly could imagine, yet each of them were different. Six boys and six girls, not one of them looked like the other, and they were aware of that, and proud even.

After each person was done with his line, they all stood up from their seats and sang in chorus. The vibe wasn't all too serious; on the contrary, it was very light and uppity. _Here I am baby. Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours._

When the song was done, they sat back down and awaited assessment…

Which came from a megaphone.

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><p><strong>Yeah, so super short prologue. Imma see how this goes, and from here I'll gauge if I'll continue with this or not. :S<strong>


	2. Chapter 1

**the glee project.**

**Summary: a new glee club is in town…**

**POV: third person… but kinda alternating characters.**

**Author's Notes: okay, since I crackship almost all the time, Santana's not a lesbi in this one, and Artie and Brittany got back together at prom. (I am still a firm believer that Santana is not a lesbian, but is pansexual) Oh, and I still don't know how to make write Samcedes stuff, so I'm just gonna separate them. (Is Sam really leaving? Say it ain't so!)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

Rachel Berry was at the grocery store, buying all the things necessary in preparation for Nationals next year. Indeed, the girl dreams big. In her pushcart were fresh organic fruits and veggies to keep her in shape: carrots for sparkly eyes, soy for protein, and some oranges for glowing skin, a special request from Kurt Hummel. For her vocal chords, she grabbed boxes of herbal tea, and a couple of packs of soothing ginger candy, for when on the go (and the real organic ones at that; not the synthetic kind). She bought everything by bulk, so her teammates may be prepped up as well. Just because the others were only singing back-up doesn't mean they had to look and sound bad, she thought.

Passing aisle after aisle of junk food and cold drinks, she pushed her cart to the dry goods section. One of her fathers had just bought her a new pair of silver flats, and she wanted to buy a headband to match. She even wore them that day for that specific reason. As Rachel arrived at the accessories section of the grocery store, she quickly scanned the displays for an ideal headband.

She saw the perfect one. How lucky, she thought. She hadn't expected on finding just the right headband, since she was after all in a grocery store, but lo and behold there it was. And it was cheap, too. Now she didn't have to go to the mall afterwards. Goody! She grabbed the headband and tried it on.

"Oh! That's a cute headband," Rachel heard a voice from behind her. Spinning around, she was instantly drawn to the blue eyes that met hers. "It goes well with your shoes," the other girl commented again.

"Thank you very much," Rachel smiled, her eyes immediately going over the girl. The paleness of her skin laid contrast with her dark hair, making her bright blue eyes pop even more. Rachel was then drawn to the other girl's lips, which were painted red. She had to admit, the girl looked like Snow White.

She snapped back to reality when those red lips smiled at her. "Do I know you from somewhere?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, right. I haven't introduced myself. Silly me," the other girl shook her head slightly. She extended her hand and said, "My name's Lindsay. I'm new in town."

"Rachel," she took her hand and shook it.

"I really like those shoes," Lindsay pointed at Rachel's flats. "Thanks. My dad gave them to me last week as a surprise from a trip he went on. I was super excited when I got them, and when I tried them on it was just so perfect. My dad just knows me so well. It's magical."

"That's cool. You know, it kind of reminds me of the Broadway musical Wicked. When Nessarose got the shoes from their father Rex?" Lindsay began. Rachel brightened up as she saw another Wicked fangirl like her. She was about to say something when Lindsay continued, "Especially since it's silver. I'm a huge fan, and of course I read the book, and the shoes are originally silver with a tinge of gold, but in the movie version of Wizard of Oz the shoes were red, since it was easier to spot in the screen. And I know it is a scientific fact that red is the easiest to spot since it has the longest wavelength compared to any other color. But I mean come on, I don't think they had to change the color of the shoes. It was intended to be silver in the first place. What I'm saying is, why change it?"

They suddenly heard a phone beep. "Ooh, I better take this call. It's nice meeting you, Rachel!" Lindsay waved before running to the exit, leaving Rachel speechless for the first time. Her left eye twitched involuntarily.

* * *

><p>"Ugh… why are we here again?" Santana Lopez drawled from the coach as she lazily filed her nails.<p>

"I'm not even sure. As far as I remember, this is my least favorite part of the house," sighed Kurt, pressing some keys from the piano halfheartedly. He glared at Blaine Anderson, who just shrugged at him. Standing up from the corner of the homemade stage, he approached his boyfriend and said, "For the nth time, I'm sorry Kurt! I told you, I was drunk that time."

"Is there another party?" Brittany Pierce asked. Everybody turned to Noah Puckerman. "Don't look at me; I didn't bring any mini-kegs."

"Brittany! Remember the rules, no sitting on anything!" Rachel called from the stairs. Everyone rolled their eyes as Brittany jumped down from the washing machine and approached Artie Abrams to sit on his lap instead.

Rachel descended the steps with Finn Hudson, who was carrying a tray of Chinese herbal tea for all the members of the New Directions. "Oh no, not again," Mike Chang and Tina Cohen-Chang grumbled simultaneously as the whiff of the tea filled the Berry family basement. Recent forced trips to Dim Sum have taken its toll.

As Rachel handed all of them a cup, each stared curiously at the green tea. "Looks like I should've brought that mini-keg…" Puck mumbled.

"It soothes your vocal chords, which will make you sing better," Rachel assured them. The moment she turned her back at them, Tina furiously shook her head, and Mike Chang made slicing movements on his neck with his hands.

After Sam Evans took the last cup from the tray, they all looked at each other, waiting for someone to drink it first. "Uhm… so… cheers?" Finn raised his cup. They ignored him. Rachel, on the other hand, quickly drank hers; the rest just stared at her. When she finished, she gazed at them expectedly with wide eyes. "Well? Drink up before it gets cold."

As Mercedes Jones smelled hers first, the two Asians reluctantly drank theirs, cup in between their two hands. Kurt and Blaine, on the other hand, quietly took a sip. "Do you really have to have your pinky up, Princess Dolphin?" Santana teased.

Sam drank up his tea all in one go out of courtesy, but the look on his face afterwards suggests he regretted that decision. Puck and Lauren Zizes just stared at their cup, with Puck soon starting to play with his and sprinkling some of it onto Lauren.

"This ain't dope," Artie shook his head.

"So is this why you called all of us here?" Quinn FaBray asked Rachel, annoyed. "So you can host some Chinese tea party?"

"Actually, no…" Rachel answered her. "I just bought a lot of the tea and wanted to share with you guys." "Why, did you hate the taste so you're trying to get rid of it as soon as possible?" Lauren smirked. Rachel rolled her eyes and continued, "We're just waiting for Mr. Schuester."

As if right on cue, they heard the doorbell ring. "Ooh, that must be him right now!" Rachel quickly went up the stairs to let their coach in. Once she was out of sight, the leftover tea went to the sink (in Puck and Lauren's case, all of it). "Oh come on guys. Be nice," Finn told them.

They heard footsteps coming from the stairs; Mr. Schuester greeted them with a smile. "Hi guys! How's your summer vacation?"

"It's alright," Artie shrugged. "I mean, it's pretty boring, but I do get to catch up on my Halo."

"Since we didn't be going to Asian Camp this summer, all we do is stay at home," Tina sighed. "That's not entirely true. Sometimes we go on dates," Mike Chang told her. "Besides our dates, my summer's uneventful." Tina pursed her lips. Mike suddenly brightened up. "Want to go to the mall tomorrow afternoon? I want to beat my top score in Dance Dance Revolution."

"I swear, I've been to the mall so many times, I practically work there already," Santana groused. "I've been to the pet store so many times I've already named all the cats," Brittany told them.

"Then it looks like I have good news for you guys," Mr. Schue rubbed her hands together. "Actually it's bad news."

Everyone looked at him intently. Mr. Schue cleared his throat and announced, "Mr. Figgins informed me yesterday that our glee club is in danger of not being funded next school year."

"What? Why? But we reached Nationals. Does he not see the potential that we have?" Rachel argued exasperatedly.

"Figgins told me that there's another glee club next year, coached by Sue Sylvester," Mr. Schue slowly said, shocked at the news himself.

"That's not fair, Mr. Schue!" Finn shook his head. The room grew louder as the members panicked, several were angry, but most of them were filled with hopelessness. "What's gonna happen when we go back to school next month?" Mercedes asked worriedly. "I thought you said you had good news? How can this possibly be good news?" Quinn asked, frustrated.

"Mr. Figgins decided that on the first day of school, there will be an assembly where the two glee clubs will perform a presentation, and the student body will decide who will get the funding."

The room was suddenly filled with worried silence. Some still couldn't believe the news, while others were already stressing out on how they will do the performance. "We still have a chance. Now we really have to brainstorm for an apt song," Mr. Schue continued. "And we have to find a place big enough where we can all practice."

"Can't we practice at McKinley?" Mercedes suggested. Mr. Schue shook his head. "The school is officially closed for the summer." Everyone groaned. "Everything just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?" Quinn said sarcastically.

Amongst the angst, Blaine whispered to Kurt, "Are you sure I'm even allowed to be here? I mean, I'm not even part of the New Directions." Kurt chuckled at him. "'Course you are, silly."

Mr. Schue heard them and said, "Yes, Blaine. You're very welcome here. We shall respect your suggestions. After all, we need all the help we can get."

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><p>Finn was looking through the stacks of CDs in the music store. Rachel had left him momentarily to go to the ladies room. He wasn't quite sure what he was looking for, but he continued to look anyway, hoping that the perfect song will just present itself to him.<p>

"Looking for something in particular?"

Finn looked up and saw a girl smiling at him. "I was just scanning," he replied politely. He exhaled, realizing how long he had already been there. He stopped, and considered asking the girl for help. Cautiously, Finn said to her, "Uhm, yeah, actually, I was kind of looking for a song that… expressed… "

"Expressed what?" the girl asked, looking at him encouragingly.

"Sort of… like… underdogs win?" Finn said unsure, his forehead wrinkling.

"You're probably looking for Kris Allen. I watched American Idol Season 6 last last year, and he was already labeled as the underdog at the beginning. People didn't really expect that he would go far in the competition, but in the end he won. I was rooting for him, actually. Good thing he won, too. I don't like the other guy."

Finn nodded politely again. "Wait here while I go get it." The girl looked for the CD and after a short while she handed it over to him. He thanked her and walked to the cashier.

When his girlfriend arrived from the ladies room, Finn had already bought the CD. "Did you find anything?" Rachel asked, seeing the plastic bag he was holding. He nodded at her. Grinning at the girl, Finn said, "Yes. She helped me."

Suddenly, Rachel yelped, "Oh, hi Lindsay!"

"Hi Rachel!" the girl greeted back.

To Finn's surprise, the two girls shared a hug. "You guys know each other?" he scratched the back of his head, confused.

"Yes. Well, kind of. We met last week in the grocery store," Rachel answered him. Lindsay nodded at Finn. "I'm Lindsay. I complimented her for her shoes," she smiled. "Excuse me for asking, but what's the song for, anyway?"

"We have an assignment for glee club," Rachel replied while checking to see the CD Finn bought. "Hmm, this is good, maybe we could do 'No Boundaries'…" she mumbled to herself.

"So you two go to the same school together?" Lindsay asked, to which Finn nodded. "We go to McKinley High," he replied.

Lindsay clapped his hands. "Oh, that's cool! I'm going to McKinley next school year, too!"

Rachel started jumping excitedly. "You have a great taste in music. Maybe you can join our glee club there. I mean, you're probably just going to be singing background, but still, it's pretty fun."

Lindsay chuckled. "Oh, I don't think I can join your glee club." Pointing at the two of them, she asked, "So are you two dating or something?" They both smiled. Blushing, Rachel said, "Yes. We are."

"Oh. I never would have guessed that. Good for you, Rachel!"

Silence followed. Noticing Rachel's lack of response, "Uhm… Thanks," Finn finally replied.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the long wait. I've been pretty busy lately with school and stuff… Oh, and yeah, the chapter was quite Rachel-centric. I didn't intend it to be like that (I'm all for equal exposure times for all the characters, especially the underappreciated ones in the show). Probably in the next chapters. :D Especially Sam Evans. Is he really leaving? <strong>


	3. Chapter 2

**the glee project.**

**Summary: a new glee club is in town…**

**POV: third person… but kinda alternating characters.**

**Author's Ramblings: Chord fans are so paranoid. Hahaha (I found out that he wasn't leaving the show. He just wasn't promoted to regular cast unlike Harry Shum Jr. [finally!] and Darren Criss) I felt the need to scream "Oh yeah!"**

…

**Chapter 2**

Mercedes ate some of her Jolly Sundae as she listened halfheartedly to the conversation, or rather debate, Rachel and Santana were having. She rolled her eyes as the Jew was now getting to everyone's nerves. She seems to have already become an expert at doing that, Mercedes thought.

"Why can't we just practice at my basement? Why?" Rachel nagged at practically everyone. The rest just groaned. "Because we never want to step inside that house ever again," Quinn snapped at her. "Now that I've thought about it, it seems like whenever we go to your place, something terrible always happens," Tina agreed.

Rachel crossed her arms. "Well at least we're much safer in my basement than in Santana's," she glared at the Latina. "Okay, first of all, you guys already know I live in Lima Heights Adjacent; just saying," Santana threw her arms up. "And second of all, that guy was harmless."

"That _guy_ sneered at us. And he looked wasted even though it was in the middle of the afternoon," Rachel bickered.

"Well he was probably just sneering at you. You and that awful voice of yours."

"Let me remind you that I won Best Performer for Nationals fare and square."

"No one won," Kurt suddenly spoke up, but Santana was already on a roll. "Oh please. You won because you were macking out with your ex. And guess what, honey. We didn't even win Nationals." She was already face to face with Rachel, who was steaming.

"Can you quiet it down?"

They all turned to look at where the voice was coming from, expecting to see some grumpy old geezer. Which what the manager was surely not. In a crisp white polo with trimmed hair and a small smile on his face, he looked at the bunch expectantly. "Sorry about that," Mercedes apologized on behalf. The manager just nodded, then went on his way to the windows to post the sign he was holding. Mercedes sighed, then turned to her groupmates.

Apparently Santana had grabbed Rachel by the neck and was now choking her. Mike, Quinn and Sam were already trying to calm the fuming Latina down, while Finn and Puck were trying to save Rachel from eventual doom. Kurt, Tina and Lauren just sat there amused. Brittany on the other hand… well, let's just say she was distracted by the Jollibee's Play Place.

"Can we just decide on what to do next? It's getting late…" Mercedes begged.

Soon enough they calmed down. "What about your place?" Finn asked. Mercedes shook her head. "Can't. It's too small for 12 people."

"How about your house, Brittany?" Lauren suggested. "I would love to, but Mr. Tubbington would not approve," Brittany answered.

"Guys! We've been through this already!" Rachel told them. "Kurt and Finn's house is under renovation, Quinn's mom always has guests around, Lauren lives in an apartment, Puck's is too Jewish, Mike's is too Chinese, Tina's is too creepy, and Sam's is…"

Awkward silence.

"Mine's out of the question," Sam silently said.

…

Sam pushed his chair back to the table as the rest of them exited the fast food joint. He slowly walked up to the glass doors; if he was only paying attention he would have seen his friends scattering towards different directions, dismissing the problem and going shopping instead. Some went up the escalators, while others dashed to the other side of the mall. If only Sam was paying attention he could have noticed Kurt and Puck looking around the big space in the middle, where they had planned that Barbara Streisand flash mob thing. He could have seen Puck pointing at the empty floor, and Kurt just laughing at him while pointing at, instead, the hundreds of people passing by. If Sam had gone out with them he could have explained to Puck that the group needed somewhere private to practice. They couldn't just go gallivanting their performance piece to the whole of Lima.

Sam was, on the other hand, distracted by the sign on the door, the same sign that the manager had placed there right after he asked the group to shut up.

If the opportunity is there, then you gotta take it, he thought.

…

"Nobody's gonna notice us. And besides, even if they do, nobody's gonna care," Puck argued. Kurt sighed. "Noah," he patiently drawled. "Say this was football. Would you share to the entire universe your strategies? No, you wouldn't. You make up codes and stuff so that only you and your team will know how to move."

"But this isn't football. This is just show choir."

"_Just_ show choir? Excuse me, but I am offended by that."

Kurt and Puck quickly turned around, only to see Rachel tapping her foot impatiently, her arms crossed. "What are you doing here?" asked Kurt. "Shouldn't you be out somewhere with Finn?" Puck added.

"He's just by the music store trying to find some songs for glee club," Rachel told them, but then said, "But that's not the point. We can't practice anywhere public because then our schoolmates might see our routine…"

"And we'll spoil them the surprise, which will make them uninterested when the time comes," Kurt told Puck.

"But we don't even have a surprise yet. We don't even have a routine," Puck mumbled.

Rachel continued on with her discussion, "And what if the members of the new glee club see us? What if they try to copy our routine? They're being coach by Ms. Sylvester, after all. Who knows who they are and what the look like. They could easily blend in with the crowd; act like innocent bystanders. They could even be spying on us right this very second." Rachel quickly looked around, her pupils dashing from end to end.

"You're being paranoid," Kurt rolled his eyes. "However, you have a point."

…

Finn looked around the music store. He didn't know why, but somehow he was already feeling guilty for going there. He really didn't need to find another song for glee club. Rachel could have planned something by now.

He shifted uncomfortably from aisle to aisle, scanning at the cd's displayed. Maybe he should just go back. Go back to Rachel. His girlfriend. Yes, he has a girlfriend for crying out loud! Finn quickly rushed to the door.

He stopped in his tracks. Lindsay smiled and waved from the other end of the glass doors.

…

"Ooh, sorry. Our owner's very patriotic, and we don't take in employees who aren't Filipino. Or at least South East Asian."

Sam's smile slowly disappeared. He must have looked like a total dumbass. He bit his lip and looked at his shoes, before turning and walking away from the manager.

"Psych! Hey come back! I was just joking!" the manager laughed. Sam quickly ran back to his desk. "If you hadn't noticed, I'm white, too, you know," the manager chuckled. Sam let out a breath of relief. "Sorry, sir. Guess I was just too nervous to function properly."

"Well, I think you better work on that one," the manager tipped. "You will be handling a lot of weird people, after all, and most of them are hungry angry customers." He led Sam to the counters, saying, "Since we're super understaffed, and summer's the most hectic of seasons, your job starts very soon."

Sam quickly grabbed the manager's hand and started shaking it furiously. "Thank you, sir!"

"Call me Joe," the manager rolled his eyes.

Sam smiled, and relaxed a little. "When do you need me, sir? How soon does my job start?"

"Very soon. As in tomorrow," Joe the manager patted his back.

…

Rachel looked at the ceiling of the mall, sighing. She couldn't put a finger on it, but she was feeling something different. As if she should be worried. But there's no reason to, she thought. Sure, they needed to practice… REALLY BADLY… but she need not be worried about it too much. As long as she was there, (fine, and the others as well), the New Directions could win, should win, and would win.

Still, that annoying feeling was there; her chest felt heavy. It wasn't helping that her boyfriend was nowhere to be seen for the last half hour already.

As Rachel's head started churning, Kurt checked his phone for possible test replies from his boyfriend, and upon seeing that there were none yet, started yawning uncontrollably. "Where's Finn?"

"I don't know. Why are you asking me?" Rachel answered crankily. Kurt's eyes widened, his mouth contorting to an O. Someone's in a cranky mood, he thought. "He's your boyfriend," Kurt reasoned, an eyebrow raised. "Well he's your brother," Rachel snapped at him.

Lauren and Puck just looked at each other, before shaking their heads knowingly. Puck rolled his eyes. Lauren smirked and looked away, only to find the missing guy heading their way. "There he is," she announced.

"Where have you been?" Rachel quickly bombarded Finn with questions.

"I told you, I was in the music store," Finn answered.

"Well did you find any songs we could perform?"

"Nope," Finn shook his head.

"Then why did you have to take you so long?"

Kurt gently patted Rachel's shoulder. "Take it easy there," he said coolly. "No need to get all freaked out." Internally, though, it was he who was freaking out. Blaine had not yet replied to his last text, and Kurt was afraid he might have pushed too far. Kurt reached for his phone to check again, and at the same time his phone beeped. He held his breath as he read the message, and exhaled, relieved. _I'll ask them, don't worry_, Blaine's text read.

Rachel nodded slowly. "Fine. The important thing is that you're here." She loosened up and grabbed her boyfriend's arm, then rested her head at his shoulder.

"Well, should we go?" asked Finn.

"Just about time!" Puck exclaimed. "We've been waiting forever," Lauren added.

Kurt looked at them. "I'm sorry, why are you still here again?" his eyes squinted in thought.

"We're hitching a ride," Puck declared.

"I don't think there's still room…" Finn trailed, uncertain. "Unless you want to stay at the back of the truck," Rachel suggested.

Puck checked to see if Lauren was okay with it, before agreeing. "It's cool," Puck shrugged.

…

**Bow chika wow wow. super busy! :D**


	4. Chapter 3

**the glee project.**

**Summary: a new glee club is in town…**

**POV: third person… but kinda alternating characters.**

**Author's Notes: I'll try my very best to write the names of the underappreciated extras in the show, but if they don't have a name I'll just use their real ones. That okay? X)**

**Author's Ramblings: wow, after watching The Glee Project, I was kinda surprised at how very very VERY competitive Lindsay is. She's so undeniably pretty though, and as hard as it is to admit, she looks good paired up with Damian, especially in the Under Pressure-Ice Ice Baby video (cute cute Damian kawaii!). If only she was more like Marissa, who for me is pretty inside and out. **

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

"And why should we be concerned by this?" Thad asked. 15 pairs of curious eyes turned to Blaine. He sighed and played with his fingers. "I told you, it's for Kurt. He needs our help."

"You mean _they_ need our help," Trent corrected. "The fact of the matter is, we don't owe them any favors, do we now?" Blaine shrugged and bowed his head, defeated.

"Lighten up a little, Trent," Jeff smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. While Trent rolled his eyes and shook his head, smiling, Nick playfully punched Blaine's arm. "You, on the other hand, are acting quite down in the dumps today. Very unBlainelike. What's the matter with you?"

Blaine gave him a weak smile, before looking around the room. "I don't know. I just feel… kind of…" his words grew fainter, as he never finished his sentence. Nick just gave him a nod, then sat back down to the brown leather couch next to Jeff.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but truth be told, I don't know why we're even in here when we don't even have school," David grumbled. The rest of the Warblers chuckled.

"Oh, come on David. Don't tell me you aren't feeling even just a tiny bit nostalgic," Wes nudged his long time best friend. "Let's face it: we're going to college school next year…"

"Princeton for me and Harvard for you," David nodded.

"… and we may never see this place again," Wes gulped. He stroked his, or rather the next council head's gavel gingerly, before putting it back on the tabletop. From the council table he could see the chess board on the coffee table which they never play with, the painting on the far end of the wall which they have all avoided looking at, and the other chess table by the window which they took turns using.

He sighed. "All in favor of helping Kurt and the New Directions?" Wes asked.

They looked at each other, before shrugging and raising their hands. Blaine beamed. "Thank you guys," he held his hand on his chest appreciatively.

"I'm surprised you didn't strike your infamous gavel," Thad joked at Wes. "Should David start writing down the minutes?"

The rest of the Warblers chuckled.

"Well," David breathed, "Since that's over with, you guys want to play a round of chess?"

* * *

><p>Joe led Sam to the cash register. "Just relax, and remember what I told you. Always ask the customer their names afterwards. Some receipts get mixed up before, so now it would be easier to get the receipts right. Oh, and ask them if they would like the Kiddie Meal. We really need to get rid of the old toys before the new ones arrive."<p>

Sam inhaled and nodded. "Are you sure I can man the cash register? I mean, having dyslexia and all?"

"Just as long as you know which button's which; you don't need to read to do that. It's muscle memorization," Joe assured him. "And the numbers are big enough, so making change will be a breeze…"

As Sam fixed his hat and name tag, Joe quickly put on the 'open' sign by the door. "Break a leg," he called as he went back inside to check on the kitchen.

Sam sighed. Game time.

* * *

><p>After finally deciding that between the two, it was Tina who should tell the group about them leaving practice early, Mike Chang squeezed his girlfriend's shoulders. "Don't worry. I'm sure Mr. Schue's okay with it."<p>

"It's not Mr. Schue whom I'm worried about…" Tina grumbled, watching Rachel Berry.

"You're friends with her; she might go gentle on you," Mike said optimistically.

"Don't count on it." Tina marched towards their teacher.

"So, guys, we really have to look for a place to practice. School's just a month away. I called this meeting so we can brainstorm on what to do. Is everyone here?" Mr. Schuester asked the group.

"Sam's not here yet," Rachel answered. "Should we wait for him?" Artie asked.

"I bumped into him this morning. He said he can't come today. He's working at the mall," Quinn piped up.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Rachel demanded.

"Well you didn't ask," Quinn snapped.

Tina bravely raised her hand. "Uhm, Mr. Schue? Mike and I have to go somewhere…"

"But we have to practice!" shrieked Rachel.

"We're not practicing anything, genius!" Santana called from the coach. "And we can't, since we don't have a place to practice yet, and the songs are all over the place, and then Finn's still trying to distinguish which foot's which…" As Santana enumerated all their shortcomings, the New Directions grew more hopeless.

"But it's not like we can do anything about it. As hard as it is to admit, we're stuck," Mercedes exhaled.

Tina and Mike Chang looked at each other. "Uhm, guys? I know this is bad timing… but… my mom's gonna kill me if I don't go…"

The moment Mr. Schuester did a microscopic nod, Tina and Mike Chang started racing out of Mr. Schue's house, just in time before Rachel's rants. They quickly made their way to Mike Chang's car. "I hope your mother's luncheon is worth it, because I am NOT looking forward to seeing Rachel tomorrow," Tina groused.

* * *

><p>Sam scratched his head, shrugging. "I told you guys, I just can't. I'm working eight hours a day, and I only get offs on weekends," he explained. He drummed his fingers on the keys of the cash register nervously.<p>

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Rachel demanded, leaning in on the counter. Finn held on to his girlfriend, preventing her from pouncing on the boy with the beach blonde hair. The rest of the gang, along with Mr. Schuester, was behind them.

"I didn't know I was even starting today!" Sam defended himself. "And I don't have a cell phone, so I couldn't possibly tell you guys."

"Lighten up, Yenta. It's not like he's gonna miss anything, with you changing your mind on a song every five seconds," Santana rolled her eyes. Rachel quickly turned around. "Speaking of which, I think I… I mean _we_…" she rolled her eyes, "should sing Seasons of Love."

As Santana sent a slather of Spanish insults to the Jew, Mr. Schuester stepped forward. "Guys! I have told you! We have to keep a positive attitude if we want to win," he told them sternly and sent Rachel and Finn back. Patting Sam shoulder, he said, "It's okay, Sam. We understand. We'll just practice as a whole on your day-off."

Mr. Schuester then signaled the New Direction to be on their way. Sam sighed as he watched his groupmates leave the fast food chain. What should he do? He thought hard.

Joe called him from the kitchen. "Try not to mix work and your personal life," he advised. "I'm gonna let that slide since it's your first time. But heads up; customers are coming. Real ones, anyway." Sam looked at him, and Joe pursed his lips to point at the glass doors. Sure enough, a group of teenage girls entered the vicinity.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving!" the big redheaded girl of the group beamed. Sam gulped as he saw them approaching the counter.

"Wait, aren't we going to wait for Lindsay?" another girl asked, her banana earrings showing contrast with the purple top she was wearing.

"Let her go to that music store she always sneaks to when coach isn't around," a Latina approached Sam. "In the meantime, I would like to order that 'Chickenjoy' thing over there," she pointed at the menu and looked expectantly at him. Sam blinked.

"Pssst!"

Sam looked at the manager, and saw Joe pointing at a Ben Ten knickknack. Sam nodded, and then turned back to his customers. He heard the girl asking her friend, "What about you, Ellis?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure…"

Sam cleared his throat. "W-would you be interested in the Jollibee Kiddie Meal? It comes with a Ben Ten watch…" Sam nervously checked on Joe, who was nodding in approval.

The customer, on the other hand, just stared at Sam, deadpan. "I'm 18. I just look like I'm ten, but I swear I'm not."

The group silently chuckled as the Latina told Ellis, "Just have what I'm having." "Actually," a tall girl told Sam, "We'll just all have what she's having." The rest of the girls nodded.

Sam quickly pressed a bunch of keys on the cash register. Wait, what was that other thing he was supposed to do again? "Uhm, what's your name?"

The girl batted her eyelashes. "Emily, but you can call me whatever you want."

* * *

><p>"Checkmate."<p>

"What?" Thad stood up from his chair in defiance. "It can't be over!" Jeff shook his head and looked at the Hispanic upperclassman. "Sorry man, but it is." The rest of the Warblers laughed as Wes smirked at his opponent.

His phone rang; Wes quickly answered it. David and Blaine looked on, amused, as Wes talked over the phone. David whispered to Blaine, "Do you think it's _her_? Up for a reconciliation, maybe?" Blaine shook his head. "Nah, I doubt it. She made it clear that she didn't want anything to do with him anymore." The two watched Wes as he paced to and fro.

"Today? As in now?... _dui bu zhi_, _nana_, but it's so short-notice. I don't think…"

David and Blaine looked at each other. "Who's _nana_?" Blaine asked. David shrugged. "Asian pet name, perhaps?" "And now you're being racist," Blaine rolled his eyes.

After a few minutes with a look of discomfort contorting on his face, Wes finally sighed. "Yes, _nana_, I understand… I said I was sorry… bye, grandma."

He looked at David, then at Blaine. Both were milliseconds from laughing. David blubbered, "Was that you're _grandmother_?" "And she has a _cell phone_?" Blaine added. The two burst out laughing.

"My grandmother's making me go to this luncheon," Wes pouted.

* * *

><p>Finn stole a glance on the music store as the gang passed it on their way out of the mall.<p>

Sure enough, he saw Lindsay from behind the glass doors, looking at a CD in the Broadway aisle. She looked up; she saw him and smiled. Finn smiled as well. He then felt Rachel's tug on him as the group went on their way, with her taking the lead as she practically dragged him out of the mall.

She didn't see her, Finn thought.

He looked back at Lindsay, who was now on her way out of the music store. She waved him goodbye.

Unfortunately for him, Santana Lopez totally and undeniably saw.

* * *

><p>The door creaked open as Quinn walked in the church. It was good that Mr. Schuester had finally decided that practice was cancelled for the day. She needed to escape from everything, fast. She caught her breath; she couldn't take it much longer. Everything was going wrong, and the pressure was too great to bear. She didn't know what she was going to do when school comes. She wasn't a cheerio any longer, and there's no way that Coach Sylvester will take her again. She couldn't be Prom Queen, since Finn broke up with her over Rachel. Her forehead wrinkled as she felt the stress. Her reputation was officially over. Quinn's heart grew heavy, and she twirled her short hair in the hopes that it might distract her from all the chaos, even for just a little bit.<p>

She took a strand of her blonde locks and studied it, as a child would stare at her own. For all what it's worth, Santana was right. She did feel a bit better with her new hair cut. It was as if weight had been lifted off of her. It was only temporary, though, and it seemed like Rachel and Finn's relationship was permanent. Quinn sighed.

She hated Rachel, but she hated Finn more. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to end this way. Finn should be the one groveling, not her. Finn should be the one who's heartbroken. She should be the dumper and not the dumpee. Why was everything not going the way she wanted it? Why was everything going against her?

Quinn sat by the nearest pew. If she had questions, she knew this was the place where she could get answers. She wasn't in the mood to praying - she felt too impure that moment to talk to God. However, the serenity of the place made her feel at peace. She was able to meditate, to think straight, no distractions.

The church doors squeaked. She turned around to see who it was.

He was tall and lanky. Wearing a striped sweater and rolled up skinny jeans, his eyes met hers behind black-rimmed glasses. He smiled at her, before taking a seat on the pew across hers.

* * *

><p><strong>GOOD GRIEF I JUST WATCHED EP7 OF GLEE PROJECT! CAMEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON! Damian! Win Glee Project, PLEASE! Do it for your boy Cameron. Alex should've gone home Alex should've gone home Alex should've gone home Alex should've gone home Alex should've gone home <strong>

**Oh, and sorry for Marrisa/Cameron or shippers out there… I just felt that if Cameron's gonna be in the spotlight (which is where he totally deserves to be), he should be paired up with a regular, you know?**


	5. Chapter 4

**the glee project.**

**Author's notes: Since I haven't updated in a long while, I now present to you a "one time big time" chapter... It's gonna be long!**

**Author's outbursts: Lindsay can listen and stare at Damian McGinty all day. (don't we all!) Hannah has a crush on Damian McGinty. (don't we all!) Apparently Ryan Murphy roots for Damian McGinty. (don't we all!) Billboard Unwanted Top 14 is Damian McGinty. YAAAAY JUSTICE HAS BEEN RESTORED TO THE UNIVERSE! I believe!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

Tina Cohen-Chang looked at the country side scenery from the passenger seat in Mike Chang's car. Yellow dandelions grew wildly all over the green pastures, which seemed to stretch on until forever. She rolled the windows down and let the breeze in. Her black hair streaked blue flapped with the wind. The smell of grass was something she had missed.

Mike Chang smiled at her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. We're almost there," he advised. The car turned left; a brick arch greeted them. Her eyes widened as the dainty patches of nature were slowly being replaced by suburban mansions with cultivated domestic gardens, marble fountains and classic sports cars. "_This_ is where your mom's having the luncheon?" Tina seethed.

He shrugged. "Of course. It's a _luncheon_. Where did you expect?"

"I don't know… somewhere else. It's your _mom_. Somewhere more Asian? Or less Stepford, at least," she panicked. Quickly rolling the windows back up, she fixed her hair and dress. The car made a turn and stopped momentarily as the gates were being opened for them. Tina scrambled to make last minute retouches before looking on ahead, only to see the luncheon already in full swing. "Oh my god."

"What?" Mike Chang checked to see what was wrong.

"I can't go out there looking like this!" her eyes darted at everyone else in the party. She bit her lip as she looked down at the clothes she was wearing.

"Looking like what?" Mike Chang asked as he parked the car.

"Those girls are wearing nice frilly flowery swanky girly stuff. I, on the other hand, look like a goth loli living in a haunted house. And it's not even Halloween."

Mike Chang sighed. "You're overreacting. You look fine. " He tapped his girlfriend's chin before adding, "And I happen to like Halloween."

Tina smiled as Mike Chang stepped out of the car, then opened the car door for her.

* * *

><p>His cheeks were numbing from smiling too much. Examining the venue, he had not expected that there would be so much people. His grandmother did a great job tying up with Mrs. Chang. At least now there were actual kids his age that he can talk to.<p>

Wes had never understood what these Asian Ivy League luncheons were about, and why they were being held in the first place. Sure, it was a chance to meet other Asians with the same hopes and dreams of studying in Harvard or Princeton or Brown, but he never really had the chance to do so. Since his first year in high school, his grandmother has always forced him to attend such events. That struck him odd, especially when he was almost always the only actual student there. The rest were usually mothers or their butlers, and so he had always left after eating. Now it seems he'd have to stay longer.

His grandmother noticed him constantly touching his stomach, and pulled him aside and whispered, "Go and eat. But remember to stay polite and a gentleman. Maybe then you'll find a potential girlfriend in this party." She smiled at him and squeezed his hand, before walking over to welcome incoming guests.

He then rolled his eyes. Potential girlfriend? What rubbish.

After waiting in line at the buffet table, cordially letting women cut in front of him, Wes finally sat down in one of the empty tables by the corner. He sighed, and smiled a bit. He had to admit, he was getting tired of all of this. Nice peace and rest from all the socializing.

"Excuse me, may I sit here?"

Wes looked up, a chunkful of food in his mouth. A girl in a pink sundress cleared her throat and smiled, then pointed at the chair next to him, a plate in her hands. Wes quickly swallowed the contents of his mouth and stood up. "Yes, of course." He held her plate, which he noticed was just salad, then pulled the chair for her.

She extended a hand and introduced herself. He introduced himself as well.

"Oh, you don't need to. I already know who you are," she smiled.

Wes thought for a moment about what she had said, then sat and went back into eating. He was, however, quickly interrupted by small chitchat she kept on barraging his way. He put down his spoon and looked at her and listened, occasionally nodding in agreement with whatever she was saying.

His mind, however, was elsewhere.

* * *

><p>Quinn bit her lip as she stole quick glimpses at the boy sitting on the pew across hers. There was something really captivating about him. She wasn't sure if it were the glasses, or the sweater, or the rolled up skinny jeans… but whatever it was, she was completely drawn.<p>

She had never seen him before. Having said that, she concluded that maybe he was new in town. Quinn shook her head slightly; why would anyone want to move to boring old Lima? She smirked and went back to her business, but slowly stole another glance at him.

He was looking at the altar, playing with his fingers for a bit. Soon he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

Quinn jolted. She had forgotten where she was, and why she was there in the first place. Quickly bowing her head, she tried hard not to get distracted. Which was next to impossible.

A few minutes later, he stood up. She glanced at him from the pew. He gave her a quick smile and a nod out of courtesy, then headed out of the church.

She thought she could finally concentrate with her thoughts. She was wrong.

Who was this guy? And why was he here?

* * *

><p>"EMERGENCY!"<p>

Rachel waited. Nobody was paying any attention to her. So maybe Finn glanced a little, but Puck tapped him to listen to Lauren as she told them the latest Pizes adventure.

She drummed her fingers for a few more seconds before turning and calling everyone by name. And yes, even Mr. Schuester.

"What is it now?" Santana asked, rolling her eyes.

"Trouble. Big one," she replied. She explained to them, "I was looking around Jacob's site when he suddenly posted this video by Ms. Sylvester. And well, even though it's quite obvious and apparent in their performance that they lack musical backgrounds…" she paused, then gulped. "They sound pretty good."

Santana's eyes narrowed as she pushed Rachel out of the way and looked at the computer screen. The others circled around her and waited as she clicked 'Play'.

Katy Perry's Firework started blasting from the speakers.

* * *

><p>"You must be Michael! My, thank you for coming! You're mother must be around here somewhere, I'll let her know you're here if I see her."<p>

"It's okay, Mrs. Montgomery. Oh, and this is my girlfriend, Tina."

"Nice to meet you, Tina."

Her eyes darted to an arriving car. "Oh, I better go, new guests are arriving. In the meantime, help yourselves with the buffet. Oh, and don't be afraid to mingle! My grandson is over there by the corner." She leaned in and whispered, "He's into show choir, too." And with that she left.

All the while Mike Chang and Tina just nodded and smiled. They looked at each other and laughed. "I wish _my_ grandmother were that perky," Tina commented.

"Nah, you're grandmother's fine."

Mike Chang grabbed Tina's hand, then led her to the buffet table. As they were walking to get in line, Tina felt very conscious with what she was wearing. Mike sensed her uneasiness, and reassured her again. "You look great, Tina. Don't worry."

She looked at the other girls, and shook her head. "I don't know, Mike. Have you seen their stares?"

"They're probably just staring at how handsome I am," Mike chuckled.

"Yes, and thinking '_who's that girl? And what's she doing with him?_'."

"Tina, that was a joke. You're over thinking things too much. Lighten up, silly." Mike squeezed her shoulders. "Hmmm, on the plus side, the food looks delicious."

Tina tiptoed to sneak a peek at the food being served. She grinned. "I'm surprised there aren't any chicken feet," she giggled. Mike rested his hands on her shoulders and whispered, "Thank Mrs. Montgomery for being so stubborn. My mom and her debated on the menu for a long time."

* * *

><p>Wes was really hungry. He was hoping the girl would start eating her salad so he could continue with his meal. Once he had tried stealing a bite from his plate, but the microscopic disgusted face her flashed made him regret doing so. Did she find him rude? He was afraid she was some secret spy his grandmother hired to check on him to see if he was being the disciplined gentleman she had raised. His grandmother could be weirdly abrasive sometimes.<p>

"Do you mind if we sit here?" a tall boy asked them. Wes spun around to see who it was, and faintly recognized him from somewhere. He then turned to the peculiar-looking girl the guest was with. Peculiar mainly because she was wearing black when it was so hot out.

At last! Normal people! Wes smiled in delight, but quickly remembered he had company.

She was staring at the girl from head to toe. Wes knew that look. His former classmates from preschool had stared at him the same way, when for Career Day he went as a fireman while the rest of the class were doctors and lawyers and presidents. If someone stared at me like that, I would have melted on the spot, he thought. Wes's eyes widened when she suddenly turned to bid him farewell.

The three of them gawked as she brushed her pink sundress and walked away. She had left her untouched salad on the table.

Wes tried not to scoff at her behavior, but four years with "the mad Thad" made it an effort to do so. In the end he was able to let out a snort, which he quickly regretted for it made him quite NOT dapper indeed. Shaking his head, he turned back to the two guests.

The girl in black was crying. Wes stood up in alarm, but quietly watched by the sidelines, not wanting to butt in. Crying girls made him uncomfortable, and a blubbering fool.

"It's okay, Tina. Don't mind her," the tall one said. "B-but did you s-see the way she l-looked at me?" she sobbed. He put down their plates and grabbed her shoulders. Staring directly at her eyes, he assured her, "Forget about that girl. You look beautiful, Tina. You always do."

She shook her head. "We sh-should have left a long t-time ago…"

"No, wait!" Wes screamed.

The two turned to him in surprise. Wes blushed; he was surprised at himself, too. Being in this boring luncheon for too long had left him seeking for any other form of company. He shook his head a little and apologized. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. I'm Wes Montgomery, by the way."

The tall one gave him a weak smile. "Mike Chang." Gently putting his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder, he added, "And this is Tina."

The girl, on the other hand, whispered through sniffles, "You're from Dalton, right? Like, one of the warblers? Kurt talks about you guys sometimes."

"Oh, so you're from McKinley?" Wes perked up. "You're performance at Regionals was great. That was a bold move, you doing original songs."

"Thanks," Mike said.

Wes nodded. He then asked, "So… Are you leaving already?" He was hoping that they wouldn't, and he looked at them almost begging.

Mike looked at Tina. She bit her lip, then smiled. "I guess we could stay longer," she shrugged.

* * *

><p>Artie froze in terror. "They're… just like us."<p>

Mr. Schuester curled his hand to a fist. Sue Sylvester has decided to fight fire with fire. "We shouldn't panic," he called. Rounding everyone up to sit on the couch, he tried consoling them. "You guys shouldn't be threatened by a bunch of anonymous kids. This is YOUR home turf, not theirs."

"But didn't you _see_ them, Mr. Schue?" Rachel pointed out. "They were like a carbon copy of our glee club!"

"They even have a black gay kid. That's like, Kurt and Mercedes rolled into one," Santana scoffed. Mercedes crossed her arms.

"And they won't be anonymous for long. With Ms. Sylvester posting a video on Jacob's website, everyone in McKinley will know who they are by the time school comes in," Artie added. "Speaking of which, I thought the school's closed for the summer? How were they able to make the music video inside McKinley?"

"Ms. Sylvester has her ways," Santana smirked.

Mr. Schuester sighed as silence filled the room. Everyone was left speechless.

"I just can't figure out how they were able to make one of Santa's elves sing so well," Brittany commented. Santana wrapped her arm around the blond and told her, "No, Brit-brit. He isn't an elf. He's just short, like Rachel."

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so I decided to just split this up. I'm gonna upload the next chapter. Like, right now. <strong>


	6. Chapter 5

**the glee project.**

**Author's notes: Continuation…?**

**Author's fangirlin asdfghjkl's: **

**S03E05 the first time is the best episode so far. (Right behind S02E12 valentines). **

**Klaineklaineklainebows + hawt Warblers with hawt new hairstyles + Sassy Santana as always + Mike Chang drama with the bad Papa Chang and Burt-ish Mama Chang + Dave "baby steps Yogi bear" Karofsky + gay-douche yet still mouthwatering Sebastian + Nick the new lead warbler hittin' on hot Dalton teachers + Artie character development at last + funny I-hate-my-job bouncer extra + Rory/Damian's accent on accent then weird dancing = BAMFness oozing out. **

**Thank you, Ryan Murphy. You have made a lot of people very happy with this episode**

**(Wes. I miss you. Hence you are now the star of more the one chapter. Cheers. Congrats on Godspell, Telly. Love yah baby.) And I don't know about you guys, but Finn's character is on to something. I can feel it. ;D )**

**It's nice to see that some of my favorite (crack)ships are still alive. Pirates! (although Puckurtsies are still waiting… for that moment… it will come… we shan't lose hope.)**

**And yes. I just used to post tumblr-appropriate stuff. Sarreh.**

* * *

><p>"Is that really necessary?" Blaine asked, his head tilted to the side.<p>

Kurt just looked at him, doe-eyed. "Of course! Really, I can't thank you guys enough. This is the best news I've heard all day. All week, actually. You guys saved our lives by letting us practice at Dalton. Nothing but the best _for_ the best."

"But it's so…"

"Grand? Posh? Beautiful? The perfect way to say 'thank you for saving our lives we appreciate it so much we are eternally bound to repay you back'?"

"Big."

Kurt rolled his eyes as his boyfriend chuckled at him. "Not that I'm being a spoilsport or anything, but isn't that a little too much? I don't think that would fit well with the decors of the Warblers' room," Blaine argued.

"This is the biggest, most expensive thing in the whole flower shop; trust me Blaine, I _will_ find a place for this to fit in Dalton," Kurt answered him, whilst dragging the bouquet out of the store doors.

Blaine whistled. "It's so big, it has its own vase." He shook his head and smiled at Kurt, then helped his boyfriend drag the thing out.

Once they were outside, Kurt started fanning himself with his hand, hot and exhausted. Blaine offered his handkerchief. As Kurt wiped, or rather dabbed his beads of sweat off his forehead, Blaine asked, "How are you even going to bring that to Westerville? I don't think that will fit in my car… or yours, for the matter."

He looked expectantly at Kurt.

"Hmmm, I haven't thought of that."

* * *

><p>Wes, Mike and Tina were just about to head out of the party when Mrs. Chang saw them.<p>

"Where are you guys going?" she asked, smiling. Mike Chang quickly turned to face his mother, dumbfounded, whilst Tina meekly stood behind him. The three of them were supposed to bounce unnoticed, trying to avoid drama between Mike's mom and Wes's grandma. Mike knew his mom was especially sensitive about him leaving so early, being that it was the first time Mrs. Chang was hosting an event.

Wes, on the other hand, coolly told Mrs. Chang, "We were just going to grab a cup of coffee at the Lima Bean. And maybe get to know each other more."

Mrs. Chang flashed the three an unsure look. "You can do all those here," she reasoned.

"Let them go, dear." Wes smiled as his grandmother came to the rescue. "I'm sure the kids would want some quality time together," she added, patting Mrs. Chang on the shoulder.

But when his grandma's eyes brightened, Wes knew she had one of those crazy ideas of hers again. His smile disappeared when Mrs. Montgomery suggested gleefully, "Oh I know! Wes, why don't you show your new friends our new apartment?"

Wes looked at Mike and Tina; they shrugged. He really didn't want to show them, but he didn't want his grandmother's smile to turn into a frown, either. He sighed. "Sure, grandma."

"Fantastic! Here are the keys."

Tina chuckled as she and Mike Chang followed Wes out of the venue and into his car. As the pair took the backseat, Wes sighed and began to drive. He was pouting like a child and kept shaking his head, and she tried hard not to laugh and seem rude. Mike Chang, on the other hand, wasn't as graceful about it.

"You just got served by your grandma," he joked.

The warbler rolled his eyes. "You should see us during the weekdays. It's hard to say 'no' to that woman." He sighed, "Although, I do have to say, my place is pretty cool." The car made a turn, and Tina jaw dropped. Outside the car windows was the grandest apartment she had ever seen in her entire life. "You live _there_?" she exclaimed. Mike Chang whistled. "Sweet."

Wes nodded. "Actually, not really… Although, grandma did give me a room. We rent the building, but there isn't many people renting. With it being far from the highway and far from the city, you could say it's practically hidden from society."

The car stopped, and soon enough Wes was leading the two towards flights of stairs to his room. They walked along the corridors, with Wes in front the pair following him. "Do you come here often? It seems like a cool place to chill," Mike Chang commented.

Wes turned to face them, walking backwards. "The warblers usually come here to relax a little during the weekends. Grandma's fine with it, but recently she told them not to be too noisy. We do have new neighbors on the lower floor, after all." He shook his head slightly and chuckled. "I do, however, think they're here too often."

Tina smiled. "Don't hold your breath."

She pointed at something from behind him, and Wes turned to see what it was. Mike Chang's grin didn't help, either. From behind him, Nick was standing right in front of Wes's apartment doors, holding a bag of Cheetoes.

His eyes were as big as saucers. "It was David's idea."

* * *

><p>The room was filled with frustration, most of it coming from Rachel Berry. She kept pacing around and biting her lip and clenching her fists. Puck thought it was hilarious, but the other members didn't think so. "What are you so worked about?" Mercedes asked, eyebrows crossed.<p>

"Did you not _see_ that video?" Rachel practically screamed. "We all did. And way too many times already," Lauren sighed.

"I mean, do you not know _any_ of them?" she seethed.

"What part of 'anonymous' did you not understand?" Artie asked. "Stop it with the antics and get to the point, already," Santana sighed.

Rachel buried her face with her hands and groveled. "I know one of them. Her name's Lindsay, and I met her at the grocery last week. Finn and I met her again at the music store, where she helped pick out some music for our set list. Gosh, how can I be so stupid? I even offered her to join New Directions!" She stomped her way towards a chair and sat on in with a thump, her arms crossed. "I can't believe she didn't say anything," she pouted, but then tilted her head and added, "Granted, I would have done the same, but still…"

Mr. Schuester suddenly brightened up. "What else do you know about her?" he asked.

Rachel shrugged. "She didn't give out any information, really. She just said she was going to McKinley this school year.

Mr. Schuester stood up. "Contact everyone. Send them this video. Maybe some of us have seen these kids before, and we can get some information about them."

"So you mean, like, spy on them?" Brittany asked.

"What you call spying, I call research." Turning to Rachel, Mr. Schuester asked, "Is it possible if you can meet up with this Lindsay? Ask her about stuff. There's a chance she might spill something to our advantage."

Rachel shook her head. "I don't think I can talk to her. At least, not so soon. I feel so betrayed right now…"

"Stop being a drama queen," Santana rolled her eyes. She looked at Finn and said, "Finn knows her, too. And if I remember correctly, I heard you said they're pretty close?" She leered at the quarterback, who on the other hand paled and froze up.

* * *

><p>"Okay, I think I need to stop…" Wes panted, plumping himself on a beanbag.<p>

Thad laughed. "It was quite foolish of you to challenge them on a game of Dance Dance Revolution," he commented. "They are, in fact, the better dancers in both choirs."

Wes grumbled as Mike Chang, Tina, David, Nick, and Jeff exchanged high fives.

"Let me grab some water for you guys," David offered as he went to the kitchen. Nick and Jeff followed, aiming to raid the cupboards out of more chips and dip. "Let me remind you that this isn't your apartment, guys!" Wes yelled jokingly.

"Hey Wes, do you mind if we go out and look around for a bit?" Mike Chang asked. Wes nodded. "Sure. Wait, I'll come with you and give you a tour around… as soon as my thighs stop burning."

Thad rolled his eyes as Tina giggled. "It's okay, Wes. I'm sure we can manage."

"Okay then," Wes muffled. Tina grabbed Mike Chang's hand and dragged him out of the room. As soon as the two were gone, David appeared from the kitchen. "Where are those two going?"

"Looking around," Wes didn't bother to answer in complete sentences.

"And why are you so down in the dumps?" David probed. "Are you… somehow… jealous of them?" he grinned. Nick and Jeff suddenly popped up from the kitchen. Thad watched Wes's reaction, amused.

"Am not!"

David pshawed. "Course you are. Those two were just like you and she-who-must-not-be-named…"

Wes straightened up and answered, "The only thing alike about my ex and I and those two is that the four of us are Asian. I'm nothing like Mike and she's nothing like Tina. To tell you the truth, she's the opposite of Tina. She's just like those boring girls in the Asian Ivy League parties."

"And those _were_ your type," David quipped. "Until she broke your heart."

Wes glared at him as oohs and aahs resonated from Nick and Jeff in the kitchen.

* * *

><p>They were going down the flight of stairs to the second floor when Tina's phone beeped. She looked at the message, holding her phone with one hand as Mike Chang gingerly played with the other. "What's this all about?" she asked aloud, and she showed her boyfriend the screen.<p>

Mike Chang and Tina watched the video for a while, and when it came to an end they were a bit confused. "Wasn't that the McKinley gym?" Mike asked.

"Yeah…" Tina's eyes squinted as she heard faint music. She touched her boyfriend's hand and paused. "Do you hear that?"

"Probably coming from upstairs." Mike Chang guessed.

"No, I think it's coming from this direction…" Tina followed the sound, which lead her to the corridors of the second floor. Her boyfriend tagged along, and soon enough the sound grew stronger. "It's coming from that room," Mike pointed at the door at the end of the hall.

They approached as quietly as they could, and took a peak at what was going on inside.

"Oh crap."

"It's them."

"And they sound better live."

* * *

><p><strong>Aaah. I'm so happy to be able to post again. :D I hope you keep on reading; I have these ideas. (And if you're just waiting on happenings from the Glee Project contestants, don't fret.) :D<strong>


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